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BMW 1 Series coming to India in second half 2012?

BMW recently unveiled the new BMW 1 Series codenamed F20 in Europe which will go on sale in September. Now, this is the car aficionados back home in India are waiting to lay their hands on for quite some time now. Until now, it was not clear as to whether BMW would launch the car in India. But now, folks at Autocar India are reporting that we might see the BMW 1-Series being launched by the second half of 2012.

The BMW 1-Series is the smallest car from the BMW stables and the cheapest of the lot which is why BMW feels it is ideal for the Indian market. It all began with the BMW X1 crossover. BMW is the first premium brand to offer a product in the lower end of the premium market. The other German brands will predictably follow suit. The BMW 1 Series could be priced below the Rs 20 lakh mark which makes it a really attractive proposition. Rs 15-18 lakhs is what Autocar India predicts it to be priced when the car comes to India in late 2012.

2012 BMW 1 Series

The BMW 1-Series has all the main tit-bits that make a car a BMW. The almost vertical kidney grille dominates the front end with big bold twin-pod head lamps. Now, the 1-Series is based on the 3-Series platform which is already being sold in India. BMW has also increased the capacity of their Chennai plant to accommodate for future model expansion. What differentiates the 1-Series from the other hatchbacks is that this car is rear-wheel drive making it a joy in corners.

A 1.5 litre petrol and a 2.0 litre diesel engine is what could be on offer for India. To keep costs down, BMW India might also opt to share the engines from the X1 crossover. Now we have been on the top of this story in the past. BMW is also rumoured to introduce the 1-Series not just in hatchback form, but also in number of different body styles. Imagine a convertible version of the 1-Series. Apart from this, a hotter version with the M Sport package if offered in India could make the 1-Series the best premium hatchbacks in the country.